Customs capacity-building programme launched

GMLS has been appointed to train over 500 learners as part of a Customs Capacity Building Programme to ensure industry readiness ahead of new legislation. According to GMLS CEO, Mark Goodger, the Transport Sector Education and Training Authority (Teta) and the South African Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff) are driving a Customs Roll-out Training Programme to ensure the industry is equipped to deal with the new Customs Control and Customs Duty Bills when they are written into legislation. “The field of customs and excise is developing rapidly to keep up with the global compliance regulations driven by the World Customs Organisation (WCO),” said Goodger. He noted that capacity building was at the heart of customs compliance and accordingly, the WCO – through its capacity-building directorate – has driven a huge programme across the globe to achieve customs capacity. The North West University and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce have signed an agreement with GMLS to roll out specific universityaccredited certificates at NQF levels 7 and 8 for senior managers and customs vocational experts. Goodger said this would be the first time that such university programmes and certificates would be available to experts in the field of customs in South Africa. INSERT & CAPTION The field of customs and excise is developing rapidly. – Mark Goodger